CHAPTER IV 



THE HUNTER HUNTED 



The job being completed, we wasted no time 

 ourselves in getting back through the bush, picking 

 up our mules and clearing out in an easterly 

 direction. We travelled fast all that afternoon 

 and struck water late at night, cooking some food 

 and then going on another hour in the moonlight 

 before camping. We intended, of course, to stick 

 to the bush, thick bush if possible, but next day, 

 after travelling hard till one o'clock, we were still 

 without water, and had not seen any natives. 

 We were forced, therefore, during the afternoon 

 to swing back towards the Vami river, which 

 we reached before evening. We by no means 

 liked doing this, for the villages were thick all 

 along the river ; still, we had to get water. 

 We camped and cooked food close to the river, 

 and we saw various natives, from whom we tried 

 to get both guides for ourselves and messengers 

 to go back to the column. They made us promises 

 they would supply these early next morning. 

 We did not, however, remain camped that night 

 in the same spot, but after the natives had all gone 



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